AlCircle News Edited By "Debanjali Sengupta"
Debanjali Sengupta is a passionate content writer with 10 years of experience in Business writing, Web Content writing, Blogging, Editing and Research. She is responsible for generating and editing content for AlCircle Newsletter and other online and offline content for enhancing the brand value and its visibility among global users.
China seizes opportunity to boost aluminium exports amid the Middle East conflict – which countries stand to gain?
中文翻译附于新闻末尾，敬请继续阅读。 Restricted trade from the Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz and EGA’s Al Taweelah smelter becoming inoperative for a year due to Iranian strikes are seen as an opportunity for China’s aluminium export growth by many market analysts. Whether this ambition may turn real or not is something to be assessed, but it stems from the void being caused in the market due to the Gulf region's inability to serve the global aluminium demand at this moment. The Gulf not only produces 10 per cent of the world’s aluminium but also supports the global supply chain by contributing 9 per cent to the total. In figures, Gulf countries export more than 5 million tonnes of wrought and unwrought aluminium to the world. As per the International Trade Administration data of 2025,...
If not as critical mineral, aluminium has a strong case to be treated as strategic metal in Australia
Welcome to the first part of the interview with Rachel Howard from Mission Possible Partnership where the role of aluminium in green energy transition in Australia takes a centre stage. Unlike many other large economies, construction & infrastructure sector leads the demand for aluminium, representing 30-40 per cent. Although aluminium is not formally considered as a critical mineral in Australia, but according to Rachel, it has indispensable role to play in driving environmental and economic growth. Mission Possible Partnership plays a key role here by fostering producers, technology providers, financiers, and government bureaucrats to accelerate this transition. Rachel Howard leads Development of Industrial Decarbonisation programmes for Mission Possible Partnership – working to bring...
Aluminium as a ‘Critical Mineral’ – how much is it catching up with the label given in the US, EU, UK, Canada and Africa?
Across major economies – from the United States and European Union to the United Kingdom, Canada, and Africa, aluminium has formally entered the league of critical minerals – not because the metal is rare but it is indispensable for economic and environmental growth. Aluminium, over the period of time, has made itself a non-substitutable element in modern economies through critical applications in industrial growth, defence capability, and decarbonisation. It is also the metal that has built direct relation with global economic structures; hence, any disruption in its supply chain affects employment, trade balances, and industrial output. Economic contribution – a mature industry with strategic weight To all these regions stated above, the aluminium industry supports a substantial share...
Iranian strikes hit EGA and Alba's aluminium smelters; workers injured, facilities damaged
中文翻译附于新闻末尾，敬请继续阅读。 The aluminium industry in West Asia has entered into a new volatile phase, with the direct attack on two major aluminium facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as a result of the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict. Reports confirm that Al Taweelah smelter of Emirates Global Aluminium and Aluminium Bahrain’s (Alba) facility have faced Iranian missiles and drone attack on March 28, 2026, and undergone substantial damage. Currently, both Emirates Global Aluminium and Aluminium Bahrain are assessing the extent of the damage to their facilities, while remaining focused on maintaining employees’ safety. However, already by now, various sources suggest two employees of Alba and six of EGA have sustained injuries, alongside significant structural damage. Also read:...
Djibril René, European Aluminium: Reduced availability of primary aluminium from the Persian Gulf is likely to trigger increased reliance on scrap
In seeking forward-looking insights into the impact of the Middle East crisis on Europe, AL Circle reached out to European Aluminium, given that 14 per cent of the European Union’s primary aluminium supply comes from the conflict region. Djibril René, Director of Industry & Market Intelligence at the Association, offered a valuable perspective on the current situation in Europe. According to Mr. René, the ongoing disruption in the primary aluminium supply chain is likely to drive the industry’s increased dependence on scrap. He emphasises the need for Europe to bolster its domestic aluminium production and recycling processes to address the looming metal availability crisis. Djibril René joined European Aluminium in 2012 as a Senior Manager Sustainability & Economic Data, before being...
The decarbonisation pathway of the aluminium industry – crucial synergy of technology, recycling, and renewable
The importance of aluminium for the global energy transition is undeniable, yet the fact remains that its production is one of the most carbon-intensive processes in the industrial sector. According to the International Aluminium Institute (2023), the aluminium value chain accounts for roughly 3 per cent of global direct industrial carbon emissions . Primary aluminium production, which involves three key stages, is the main contributor to this footprint. On average, each tonne of primary aluminium emits about 14.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). When the emissions profile is broken down across the production chain, bauxite mining contributes around 0.1 tonnes of CO₂e per tonne of aluminium, alumina refining adds approximately 2.6 tonnes, and the primary smelting process...
Assessing if aluminium is ready to take up copper’s share of demand in renewables, EVs and data centres
Copper and aluminium have long competed across a wide range of industrial applications. In many sector, these two metals can be used alternatively because of their few common traits like durability, conductivity, ductility, and corrosion-resistance. But at this moment, there is one factor that is tipping the balance in favour of aluminium – price it is. And the gap is not some hundreds of dollars but thousands. Taking the instance of the current market, aluminium is trading nearly USD 8,700 per tonne below copper. This price advantage is the reason for sectors like electric vehicles, renewable energy, and AI data centres to switch from copper to aluminium wherever technical standards allow. Price gap is increasing aluminium’s appeal This shift is taking placing even though aluminium...
AL Circle x Sachin Chugh, ARUP: “The main application for hydrogen lies in replacing the heat supplied by fossil fuels, such as natural gas, in aluminium production”
In this exclusive interview with AL Circle at India Energy Week 2026, Sachin Chugh, the Hydrogen & Energy Lead at ARUP in India, explains in detail how green hydrogen can be converted into usable electricity and why it could prove transformative for energy-intensive industries like aluminium. Against the backdrop of an oil crisis and rising prices, the discussion carries added relevance for the aluminium sector. As the Hydrogen & Energy Lead at ARUP in India, Sachin Chugh drives the hydrogen and energy agenda using his 20+ years of expertise in the hydrogen and downstream energy sector. His role involves delivering innovative solutions for stakeholders in India, focusing on hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and techno-economic assessments of new energy technologies....
Strait of Hormuz closure sparks revised aluminium price forecast, pushing it above $4000/t
中文翻译附于新闻末尾，敬请继续阅读。 Since the onset of US-Israel and Iran conflict, the aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange have surged without a hint of slowing down. At present, the price stands at USD 3,385 per tonne (as of March 6), gaining 4.9 per cent since February 28 (USD 3,226 per tonne), and this upward trajectory is likely to continue. Considering the potential escalation of supply chain disruptions from the Middle East due to the block of the Strait of Hormuz, ING Group, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam, has already projected the aluminium price to grow above USD 4,000 per tonne. At the start of 2026, primary aluminium prices on LME were already in a bullish trend, standing at USD 3,015.50 per tonne as in early January due to...
Strait of Hormuz closed, trade in disruptions, and crude oil price is on rise - what do they all mean for the global aluminium market?
The escalating tensions surrounding the US-Israel conflict with Iran percolating down to the entire Middle East have triggered economic shockwaves across the globe. Aluminium and oil sectors are particularly vulnerable, and for obvious reasons. The Middle East is a pivotal region in aluminium production and oil extraction and also controls the world trade of these two commodities through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical maritime shipping routes connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Annually, the Strait of Hormuz handles an export volume of 5.14 million tonnes of primary aluminium, accounting for around 75 per cent of the region’s total production. Additionally, it serves as the passage for 20 to 21 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum...
Press Metal's 2025 fiscal gains set the tone for 2026, with stronger margins, improved cost control and hard-won lessons
Note: This image is AI-generated and for illustrative purpose only 中文翻译附于新闻末尾，敬请继续阅读。 Firm aluminium prices, improved cost control, and easing input prices defined the operating performance of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad in 2025. The year began on a strong footing, with H1 revenue at RM 8.08 billion ( USD 2.08 billion) versus RM 7.56 billion (USD 1.94 billion) a year ago. Encouraged by this momentum, financial institutes like Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd (HLIB) and the company itself heightened expectations for the second half of the year. Much before the year ended in December, Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd (HLIB) reaffirmed its “BUY” call, raising its target price to RM 7.64 (USD 1.96). Earning momentum continues as much anticipated Just the way it was anticipated, Press...
Price strength masks volume weakness for Kaiser Aluminum in 2025
The delicate balance of falling shipments but rising revenues defined the aluminium industry in 2025, and so is the case for Kaiser Aluminum. The US-based producer of semi-fabricated specialty aluminium products closed the year with weaker shipments across most end markets yet delivered a sharply improved financial performance, riding on elevated aluminium prices and stronger pricing discipline. Shipment volumes: A broad-based contraction Kaiser Aluminum shipped 274 million pound (124,284 tonnes) of aluminium in Q4 2025, down by 6 per cent from 292 million pound (132,449 tonnes) in Q4 2024. Consequently, the company’s full-year shipments slipped 5 per cent Y-o-Y from 1,172 million pound (531,610 tonnes) to 1,108 million pound (502,580 tonnes). Quarterly data underlined the persistent...
Strategic trade-off at what cost? Alcoa’s USD38.9M penalty against 18-month bauxite mining allowance lifts concerns
Conflicts between governments and mining giants over environmental protection and conservation are hardly new, and for Alcoa, it stretches back at least a decade. The latest episode has unfolded in Western Australia, where the US-based miner (Alcoa) has clashed with the Australian Department of the Environment over bauxite extraction in the North Jarrah Forest, south of Perth. The dispute has even culminated in Alcoa agreeing to pay USD 38.9 million (AUD 55 million) penalty to clear 2100 hectares of land between 2019 and 2025 in the North Jarrah forest, south of Perth. Environment Minister Murray Watt confirmed on Wednesday, February 18, that this penalty charged is part of a remediation deal and that the money will go into conservation initiatives such as strengthening invasive-species...
Novelis’ Q3 FY2026 is about two forces pulling in opposite directions – high premiums lift net sales, Oswego fire dents EBITDA and income
The US-based aluminium rolling and recycling major, Novelis Inc., a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries, has reported its financial results for the third quarter and the first nine months of FY2026 against the backdrop of the prolonged shutdown of its Oswego plant following a fire outbreak. Over the past five months, Oswego has dominated headlines for remaining offline and disrupting supply chains. Against this challenging backdrop, Novelis’ financial disclosures attracted heightened scrutiny, especially after Steve Fisher, President and CEO of Novelis, described the performance as ‘resilient’. That resilience has, however, remained selective, particularly thanks to the beverage packaging sector that has helped Novelis navigate a turbulent quarter. Also, elevated aluminium premiums in the...
A 5-year high production of world alumina tells just the opposite story than primary metal – here’s the insider
The world alumina production in 2025 tells markedly different story thanprimary aluminium. While the primary metal clocked the weakest growth rate in recent years, alumina registered the strongest five-year leap. According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the world alumina production gained 5.07 per cent Y-o-Y in 2025 as against a 1.06 per cent increase in the world primary aluminium output . In the preceding years, the global alumina production growth rate majorly ranged between 2-4 per cent from 2021 to 2024. The acceleration was led overwhelmingly by metallurgical-grade alumina, the feedstock for aluminium smelters. As far as chemical-grade is concerned, it grew by 3.15 per cent in 2025, which, however, was not the highest growth in past five years. In years like 2021...
Aluminium left out of India’s US and EU trade deals-but the industry may still benefit and here’s how
In a span of just one week, India has signed two major international trade agreements – one with the European Union and another with the United States. Together, these much-awaited deals are projected to add nearly USD 150 billion to India’s exports over the next one decade and ease several longstanding trade frictions. While all this is great, aluminium being conspicuously absent from both the agreements send through some disappointment at a first glance. But later on, a closer analysis suggests that India’s aluminium industry may not be materially disadvantaged and could even benefit indirectly through downstream demand. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, book the report “ Global ALuminium Industry Outlook 2026 " Aluminium kept outside – what it...
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AL Circle x Dr Per Larsen: “Over 30 foundries globally already cast aluminium with DISA green sand”
Dr Per Larsen is Innovation Manager at DISA Industries A/S, part of Norican, since 2006. With nearly 30 years of experience at the heart of the foundry business, his expertise runs from tackling casting quality problems to identifying new opportunities for clients and turning them into profit. He’s the perfect person to oversee DISA’s latest test foundry, which is applying DISA’s fast, flexible green sand process to an ever-broader range of aluminium casting applications. AL Circle: Die casting is often the default choice for producing aluminium castings. Why is DISA’s green sand moulding process an attractive alternative for aluminium components? Dr Per Larsen: Green sand delivers superb quality, excellent surface finish and super-fast production for many types of aluminium castings, at...
Union Budget FY2026–27 puts nuclear energy, carbon storage and critical minerals at the centre of India’s decarbonisation strategy
The much-awaited Union Budget FY2026-27, presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, signals a decisive shift towards aligning India’s economic growth with its decarbonisation ambitions and the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 . This Budget comes at a juncture when India prepares to leverage opportunities arising from the EU–India trade deal while simultaneously navigating the cost risk posed by the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Also, for carbon-intensive industries like aluminium, which emits 20.88 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of production in India, making the industry as one of the most carbon-intensive sectors in the country compared to the global average, this budget underpins the urgency of accelerating the transition to...
